CHARSADDA: Awami National Party central president Asfandyar Wali Khan has accused the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and its leader and former prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, of betraying Pakhtuns in the country.

“The PML-N and its leader (Nawaz Sharif) have betrayed Pakhtuns by depriving them the due share in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor project and deceiving them on Fata-KP merger issue. This time around, Nawaz Sharif will not be able to take refuge in Saudi Arabia,” he told the Workers Convention here on Friday.

The ANP leader declared the PML-N-led federal government the worst in the country’s history.

ANP leader rules out political alliance for next elections

He said his nationalist party had decided that it won’t form alliance with any political party for the next elections in line with the Bacha Khan’s philosophy.

Mr Asfandyar criticised the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl for ‘always playing power politics’ and said the Maulana Fazlur Rehman-led party had always remained part of the ruling coalition in the centre.

He said after remaining part of the PML-N-led federal government in the centre for more than four years, the JUI-F had made electoral alliance with the Jamaat-i-Islami few months before the next general elections to fool the people in the name of Islam and get their votes.

The ANP leader also criticised the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf and its leader, Imran Khan, for ‘harming political traditions and norms’ in the country.

“The PTI’s Kaptaan (Imran Khan) has introduced the bad political trend of hurling baseless allegations at opponents but ironically, he’s unwilling to share his cellphone’s data after own party’s MNA Ayesha Gulalai accused him of harassment,” he said.

Asfandyar claimed that none of his party members was involved in corruption.

“None of our party’s former ministers or chief minister has been charged by the NAB with committing corruption,” he said.

The ANP leader said many PTI ministers and lawmakers faced corruption charges and even the party’s government ousted the provincial Ehtesab Commission head to save the chief minister over the alleged corrupt practices.

He said the PTI government had failed to deliver during the last four years.

Asfandyar highlighted the ‘massive’ development work carried by his party’s government in the province and said the ANP would bring backward districts and far-flung areas on a par with developed areas of the country.

He said US President Donald Trump’s policies would cause further bloodshed in Afghanistan and that Pakistan, Afghanistan and countries like China should play due role in bringing peace to the region.

APP adds: The ANP leader said the dream of restoring peace in Pakistan won’t become a reality without restoring peace in Afghanistan.

He welcomed the Pakistan-Afghan-China peace initiatives and urged the Pakistani and Afghan leadership to sit together for resolving misunderstandings on different issues.

Asfandyar said collective peace efforts by neighbours would help restore peace in Afghanistan in particular and in South Asia in general.

He criticised the Qaumi Watan Party for becoming part of the PTI government after unceremonious exit over corruption allegations and said the Aftab Sherpao-led party was again thrown out over the same charges.

Published in Dawn, December 30th, 2017

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